Paul now attends to the matter of his own authority. There were some who challenged his authority, likely to set up their own authority instead. They accused Paul of being a paper tiger — bold on the page but timid in person. Paul responded by assuring them he could be bold in person (he had, after all, been a former persecutor of the church). However, he preferred to handle conflict quickly so he could be gentle and kind in person, more like Jesus. This shift in Paul was a manifestation of a changed life, one in which he viewed his authority as something to be used exclusively for the benefit of those under his care — a powerful word for how we might avoid abusing our authority even today.

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